Daily fantasy sports giant DraftKings is preparing to launch mobile sports betting in West Virginia just following the launch of its first ever online casino product.
On Tuesday, DraftKings announced that it had struck a deal to offer online and mobile sports betting products through Penn National Gaming’s Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia, pending regulatory approvals.
DraftKings chief revenue officer Matt Kalish said his company was “thrilled” to have partnered with PNG and expressed confidence that DraftKings could “deliver on being the best place to play for West Virginia consumers.”
PNG’s Hollywood property was the first to launch wagering in West Virginia back in August through a betting technology partnership with bookmaker William Hill US. The state’s betting regulations allow its casino licensees to offer up to three individually branded online sports betting websites and accompanying mobile apps.
Three of the state’s five casinos have so far launched wagering operations, while the other two are holding their fire in order to simultaneously launch land-based and mobile wagering options. West Virginia gaming regulators have yet to approve any operator’s mobile betting product.
DraftKings’ New Jersey-licensed sports betting operations were the first in the state to launch a digital wagering product and have gone on to establish themselves as the state’s unquestioned market leader.
Earlier this week, DraftKings announced the launch of its first ever online casino product in New Jersey – or anywhere else for that matter – marking the company’s latest step in its ongoing transition from a purely DFS business model to a full-spectrum gambling operator.
DraftKings’ New Jersey online casino currently consists of just one game – blackjack – and is only available via the company’s Android app, although the company promises that it’s working on bringing this new product to its iOS app and web browser at some unspecified future date.
